Short review: Would stick with the BBQ or Banh Hoi dishes. Also, a pricey but excellent Ca Kho To…read more(caramel fish casserole).
Formerly known as Thai Son/Thái Sơn, and also listed as Hương Xuân in Vietnamese, this is a decent Vietnamese spot that I went to a good while back with a group. The flavors were fine, with this place reminding me more of the spots on Baxter in Manhattan's Chinatown. The inside is casual, and the service was fine. To drink, I had a Soda Sua Hot Ga/Soda Sữa Hột Gà, or soda with yolk and condensed milk, for $5.95. I've had it before, and like before, it's a slightly sweet eggy drink with a bit of fizz.
Two of us were there earlier than the rest of the group, so we got an appetizer to share. This was the $7.95 Goi Cuon/Gỏi Cuốn, which came with a choice of either shrimp or tofu, and we went with the former. The sticky rice paper was also filled with the typical veggies and served with a decent peanut sauce, topped with some crushed peanuts. The flavor of the roll was fine, though I wish the peanut sauce was a bit thicker.
The other appetizer I tried was new to me, the Goi Tom Du Du/Gỏi Tôm Đu Đủ, which was $10.95 for a small or $18.50 for a large. I believe we got the latter, and it consisted of shrimp with shredded green papaya and peanuts. The shrimp was cut up into smaller pieces, which provided a unique texture along with the crunchier papaya. It was refreshing with a bit of sweetness, thanks to the fish sauce accompaniment.
Others enjoyed the Muc Chien Guion/Mực Chiên Giòn, or in short, crispy squid. The dish was similarly priced to the other appetizer, with the small being the same price and the large a bit extra at $18.95. The rest of them enjoyed it, but I can't comment due to my cephalopod allergy, aside from the cucumbers and tomatoes on the bottom.
Two of the main dishes were types of Banh Hoi/Bánh Hỏi, and they arrived around the same time. We went with Bo Lui/Bò Lụi and Thit Heo Nuong/Thịt Heo Nướng. The former was $20.50 and consisted of grilled sesame-seasoned beef, while the latter was $18.50 and had grilled pork. As they were banh hoi, both were served with angel hair noodles, lettuce, cucumber, mint leaves, and the obligatory fish sauce. They were both tasty, with a definite preference for the beef, which was tender and juicy with a bit of smokiness. We also added the $20 Nem Nuong/Nem Nướng, but I don't remember much outside of enjoying it like the other BBQ.
We also got two types of BBQ, the Ga Nuong/Gà Nướng (chicken) and the Suon Heo Nuong/Sườn Heo Nướng (pork chop). They were both $18.50, and my preference was definitely the pork chop of the two, as I liked how grilled it was with a bit of char. The chicken wasn't bad either. I also appreciated the pickled mustard greens served along with the pork, compared to the scallions and lettuce with the grilled chicken. Outside of that, the chicken was pretty well seasoned.
One of the better main dishes was the $20.50 Ca Kho To/Cá kho tộ, or caramel fish casserole. In this case, it was made with salmon, and the flavor was excellent. I wish the portion was a bit larger, but I liked how well-cooked the salmon was, with evenly slightly burnt sections having a ton of flavor. If you don't mind paying a bit more, this was very tasty.
There was also the Rau Muong Xao Toi/Rau Muống Xào Tỏi, or water spinach with garlic, for $17.95. The portion was plentiful, and the greens were nicely blanched. I wish there was a bit more garlic flavor, but it worked well enough as a veggie side dish along with all the meat.
The most expensive was the $21.50 Pho Xao Do Bien/Phở Xào Đồ Biển, or mixed seafood chow fun. The mixed seafood was lightly flavored, reminding me more of a brown sauce from a Cantonese spot. The noodles were a bit chewy, and there was a decent mix of protein. In short, it was decent.
Finally, there was the $20.50 Bo Luc Lac/Bò Lúc Lắc, or sautéed marinated beef cubes with salad. This wasn't my favorite version of shaken beef, as it lacked a bit in both flavor and texture. Some spots add more depth, and the beef was slightly chewy. I would recommend going elsewhere for this dish.
We had a decent time here. The portions were fine for the price, but I prefer some other places in terms of flavor. As said, stick with the BBQ, and you'll have a decent time.